


Meet Me at Dex's

by Merfilly



Series: Disasters Turned Aside [3]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Aftermath of Violence, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Eventual Relationships, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-05
Updated: 2017-06-05
Packaged: 2018-11-09 05:10:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,131
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11097582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Merfilly/pseuds/Merfilly
Summary: It was a simple invitation to meet at a certain place, at a certain time. Rex had no idea it was going to rock his world.





	Meet Me at Dex's

The note had just requested that Commander Rex of the 501st please attend a certain location at a certain time. His General, tied up with his children, the paparazzi, and coping with having exposed the Sith for what he was just a few months before the twins were born, shrugged and left it up to him.

_"That's Dex's Diner, so I doubt you'll be in much trouble. Probably just an admirer trying to get your attention."_

Those words had not been all that reassuring to Rex. He didn't have time for this. Fives and Echo still needed a lot of time from him, each had massive PTSD for different reasons, Kix was refusing to admit he did as well, and there were still so many leads to chase to try and find where the various Separatists had melted off to when Anakin and Obi-Wan destroyed the Chancellor's web of deceit during a high profile battle outside the Senate.

Echo, catching the irritation during one of their sessions, pointed out an angle that the General had overlooked.

_"What if it is someone with a lead on Tyranus or Grievous?"_

That made the man slide into his armor and leave garrison long enough to be there on time. In fact, he was early, scouting it as best he could. When he could not see anything out of the ordinary, he stepped on inside the diner, half-full with patrons, and looked around.

"Hey! You must be little Ani's friend! I was told to look for a Shriek Hawk mark," the big Besalisk behind the counter in a cook's apron and hat said. The odd clothing went a long way to keeping Rex from twitching in memory of a nightmare made real. "Go on back; she's waiting. Just don't tire her out, or I'll have to tell Ani he's got some dubious taste in friends!"

Rex's eyes narrowed behind his bucket, but he walked in the direction of the door indicated, going through and letting his HUD adjust… to a single individual, one taller and thinner than he remembered from the last time he had laid eyes on her, nearly two full years before.

She was injured, as well, and that alongside his shock at seeing her had him fumble the swipe at getting the bucket off. He did manage though, even more concerned when Ahsoka Tano remained seated at the table, and beckoned him to join her. He did so, swiftly, cataloguing wounds on the right lek, the left arm bound and tied to her torso, bandaging he had glimpsed along the back of her head, too close to that sensitive central lek.

"Commander," he said, getting a frown from her.

"Hear that's you, now," she said in a near whisper, and his eyes adjusted enough to the light to realize that wasn't a choker but bandaging around her throat.

"Ahsoka," he corrected himself, before growing quiet as the droid server brought back two frozen concoctions… milk-shakes, Rex realized after a moment. The server left, and then Rex spoke again. "What happened to you? The General has tried to find you several times, but… you just disappeared."

She took a sip of her drink, and he noted it was thinner than the usual shake, probably due to her injuries, to keep her from fighting to get it down. She then met his eyes in the dimmer lighting of this room, and he realized why the Besalisk had said not to tire her out. His Commander was all but exhausted already, and the thin edges of her features spoke of suffering he didn't even begin to grasp at.

"No, never mind." Rex reached out and carefully laid his hand over her free one. "May I take you back to garrison, to let Kix look you over, give you a chance to recover?"

"That's possible?" Ahsoka questioned, the hard demeanor cracking to show something of the girl he'd helped teach in this woman who was bent, but decidedly not broken.

"Garrison belongs to us; we choose who is allowed there," he growled. "The Old Order can kriff itself, but _jetiise_ are always welcome. Especially one who was _vod'ika_ to us."

She smiled at that, then brought her shake closer with the Force, leaving her hand under his as she arranged the straw to be able to drink without losing that touch. He regretted his gauntlet, as she did that, seeing a need for safe contact. 

Later, he promised himself, she could have that. For now, since she was intent on the shake, he started working on his own, not stressing her with any questions. When they had both finished — and the Besalisk had looked in on them twice — she pushed both of their glasses to the side of the table and slowly stood.

He was on his feet instantly, sliding the bucket on to keep his hands free. He was glad of it, when she wavered on her feet, and he could carefully catch her around her waist.

"Let me?" he offered, hands tightening enough to elucidate his intent. 

Ahsoka sighed softly, then made the hand-sign for 'yes'. He was able to get his arm under her lek, other behind her knees, and he very carefully lifted her up, following the points to a rear door that was discreet and flush with an alley wall as they came out of the diner. She curled to make carrying her easier, and Commander Rex set his path for home with his precious burden.

* * *

Getting Ahsoka into Kix's care, getting back into garrison uniform while the medic handled the clean up and exam, gave Rex too much time to think. He had so many questions, and he was not contacting his general until he had some of those answers. However, getting back to medical, where Kix had carefully tucked her away in a back, locking room, he found the questions would have to wait. His commander, for she always would be in his heart, was asleep and Kix was just readying to leave.

"You might want to stay with her," the medic said. "I don't know what caused all of these injuries, but she was watching for you the whole time you were gone, and flinching at most noises and touches. I slipped the one Togruta-safe sedative into her under guise of a pain relief."

"I'll stay. Tell Appo he's on hot-spot duty, and apologize to Echo that I'll have to meet with him later."

"Of course." Kix left, while Rex came close to the bed, and slowly let himself breathe out. No matter what, she was home. They could work through whatever had done this… and that made him risk a kiss between her montrals, a silent promise to never, ever let her get hurt like this again.

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a happy little prompt fill for 15Kisses. Now it... has plot, maybe? Should I keep going?


End file.
